Fleur de Lolly: Savory and sweet offerings for St. Patrick’s Day

Laura Tolbert More Content Now

Monday

Mar 11, 2019 at 12:42 PMMar 11, 2019 at 12:42 PM

Most of us are at least familiar, at least by name, with Shepherd’s Pie. How about a Cottage Pie?In Ireland, a meat pie is the traditional Monday meal because leftover remnants of the Sunday roast are used. If lamb had been served for dinner, it was a Shepherd’s Pie. If you had beef, it was a Cottage Pie. The vegetables mixed in with the meat were, of course, the leftover veggies from the prior meal, as were the mashed potatoes. If you’d like to add another depth of flavor add a little red wine to the sauce. If not, it’s utterly delicious without the wine.When you’re ready to top with the mashed potatoes, you can pipe the potatoes through a pastry bag, smooth them on with a spoon and make swirls as you would with meringue. Another alternative is to run the tip of a fork over the potatoes to make furrows and peaks so it will brown nicely. If desired, sprinkle a little shredded Irish cheddar cheese on top of the mashed potatoes.

COTTAGE PIE1 1/2 pounds of ground beef or ground lamb1 medium onion, diced1 large carrot, grated (or finely chopped)1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves2 tablespoons butter2 tablespoons all-purpose flour2 tablespoons tomato paste1 cup beef stock1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauceSalt and pepper to taste1 cup green peas (cooked, fresh, or frozen)6 cups mashed potatoes1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. and lightly grease a 3-quart casserole dish.Brown the beef (or lamb) in a large skillet over medium heat, 8 to 10 minutes. Spoon off and discard fat. Push the meat to one side and cook the onion, carrot and thyme for 5 to 6 minutes, until the onions are just turning translucent.Push the onions and carrots to one side and melt the butter. Whisk the flour into the butter and then add in the tomato paste. Stir everything in the pan together.Add the stock and Worcestershire and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the peas.Turn the meat into the prepared dish and spoon the potatoes on top. Bake for 20 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the potatoes are nicely browned.— From Real Irish Food by Dave Bowers

IRISH CREAM CHEESECAKEFor dessert, how about a simple cheesecake that you don’t even have to worry about baking? The heavy cream and liqueur pair deliciously with the chocolate.Vegetable oil for oiling pan4 tablespoons unsalted butter1 1/2 cup crushed chocolate chip cookies8 oz. semisweet dark chocolate, broken into pieces8 oz. milk chocolate, broken into pieces1/4 cup sugar1 1/2 cups softened cream cheese2 cups heavy cream, lightly whipped3 tablespoons Irish Cream LiqueurLine the bottom of an 8-inch round springform cake pan with parchment paper and brush the sides with oil. Put the butter in a saucepan and heat gently until melted. Stir in the crushed cookies. Press into the bottom of the prepared cake pan and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.To make the filling, put the dark and milk chocolates into a heat-proof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water until melted. Let cool.Put the sugar and cream cheese in a separate bowl and beat together until smooth, then fold in the cream. Fold the melted chocolate into the cream cheese mixture, then stir in the liqueur.Spoon the filling into the cake pan and smooth the surface. Place in refrigerator for 2 hours, or until filling is firm. Transfer to a serving plate and cut into slices. Serve with whipped cream, crème fraîche and berries, if desired.— From The Complete Irish Pub Cookbook

-- Laura Tolbert, also known as Fleur de Lolly, has been sharing recipes, table decor ideas and advice for fellow foodies and novices on her blog, fleurdelolly.blogspot.com for more than eight years. You can contact her at facebook.com/fleurde.lolly.5, on Instagram, and fleurdelolly@yahoo.com.

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